Matchmaking: Bud & Harriet Style
by Special Agent Caitlin DiNozzo
Summary: It’s been a year. The proposal never happened Harm is in London and Mac is in San Diego. After visiting them, Harriet and Bud decide to reunite them.
1. Prologue: The Phone Call

**Matchmaking: Bud & Harriet Style**

Summary: It's been a year. The proposal never happened; Harm is in London and Mac is in San Diego. After visiting them, Harriet and Bud decide to reunite them.

Disclaimer: I don't own them, DPB does. Other than Jennifer Coates, all of the characters from San Diego and London are mine.

Dedication: This story is dedicated to Reba McEntire, whose song "If You See Him, If You See Her" inspired this.

Author's Note: I haven't seen anything past the third episode of season 9. Therefore, some of the things that I've heard/read about from seasons 9 and 10 never happened, as far as this story goes. (Mattie's accident, for example.) I'm also not sure where Mattie went when Harm got his promotion; for the purpose of this story, she's with her dad. Also, I've never heard the names of the Robertses' twins, but I've often read Nikki and Nicholas in fanfic, so I'll stick with those.

Prologue: The Phone Call

1722 ZULU

FRIDAY, JULY 14TH, 2006

ROBERTS RESIDENCE

ROSSLYN, VIRGINIA

"Mommy!"

Harriet Sims-Roberts stopped folding clothes and hurried into the den. One-year-old twins Nikki and Nicholas were in their playpen, napping. Three-year-old Jimmy was standing on the couch, holding a toy Corvette high above his head. Seven-year-old AJ was standing nearby, clearly upset.

"What's wrong, AJ?" Harriet asked, picking Jimmy up and setting him on the floor.

"Jimmy took my Corvette!"

Harriet examined the toy in her son's hand. It was just a plastic car, designed for two-to-three-year-olds. "You never play with that car anymore, AJ. Why not let him have it?"

AJ crossed his arms over his chest and stuck out his lower lip. "Uncle Harm gave me that car."

Now Harriet understood. AJ was missing his godfather. Gently she pried the toy from Jimmy's grasp and handed it to AJ. "Go put this someplace safe, then, okay?"

Nodding, AJ ran off. Harriet sat down on the couch and pulled a crying Jimmy into her lap. Rocking him gently, she told him that the car was very important to his brother. "You've got your own cars to play with."

Jimmy's cries had turned to whimpers by the time his father walked through the door ten minutes later. "Daddy!" he exclaimed, running to him and hugging him around the legs.

Before Bud could reply, the telephone rang. "Roberts Residence."

"Hey, Bud!"

"Captain!" Bud replied excitedly. "It's great to hear from you. How are you?"

"I'm great," Harmon Rabb, Jr. answered. "How are you and Harriet? The kids?"

"All fine, sir."

"How many times have I told ya, Bud? Drop the 'sir'!"

They laughed. "Old habits die hard, Harm."

After a few minutes of catching up, Harm got around to the reason for his call. "I need your help, Bud."

"What's up sir…uh, Harm?"

He explained that there was a tough case he needed Bud's help with. "I need your computer skills, Bud, and your brain skills. I've already spoken to the General; he's agreed to send you TAD to London for two weeks. That is, if you'll agree to help me."

"Of course!"

They spoke for a few more moments, working out the details. When Bud hung up, he relayed the call to Harriet.

"I leave on Tuesday," he said. Then he looked around. AJ was sitting at the coffee table, working on a puzzle. Jimmy was pushing a fire truck along the carpet. Nicholas was still napping, and Nikki—who had just woken up—was perched on her mother's hip. "I'm not sure about leaving you to take care of four kids by yourself, though."

"I can handle it," Harriet assured him. Then her eyes lit up. "Or my parents can."

Bud looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"My mom and dad have been wanting to spend some time with the kids. I've been dying to get to San Diego to see Mac. Why don't I ask my parents to come up and watch the kids for two weeks? You can go help Harm and I'll go see Mac."

She was on the phone a few minutes later, making arrangements with Mac and her parents.

Author's Note Part 2: For those of you waiting for an update of my other story, "Another Year, Another Fundraiser", I assure you I have not abandoned it. I hit a bit of writer's block, but it's slowly coming together. The next chapter of that one should be up in the next few weeks. The next chapter of this one will be up on Monday; I've got the first few chapters already written, I just need to type them.


	2. Chapter 1: If You See Him

Author's Note: Sorry this took longer than expected. I had a cold, and couldn't seem to drag myself to school to post this. I may have forgotten to mention previously that in the year since Harm and Mac left JAG, they haven't spoken. I'm afraid Mac might seem a little out of character, but oh well. It's my story. So, on with it!

Chapter One: If You See Him

0029 ZULU

THURSDAY, JULY 20TH, 2006

JOINT LEGAL SERVICE CENTER SOUTHWEST

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

Colonel Sarah MacKenzie was finishing up some paperwork when there was a knock on her office door. "Enter!"

Harriet poked her head into the room. "Are you busy?"

"Harriet!" Smiling, Mac jumped up and hurried across the small room to embrace her friend. "It's so good to see you!"

"You, too!"

The two sat across from each other at the desk. Mac pressed a button on her intercom. "Jen?"

"Yes, ma'am?" Petty Officer First Class Jennifer Coates answered.

"Hold my calls, please."

"Yes, ma'am."

Mac leaned back in her chair, still smiling. "So, how are things at home?"

"Wonderful," Harriet answered. "AJ's doing great in school, and Jimmy loves preschool. The twins are growing so fast, I can't seem to keep them in clothes that fit."

"Do you have any new pictures?"

"Always." Digging through her purse, she pulled out an envelope of photographs and handed them over.

After Mac had gone through the photos, she surveyed the work in front of her. "I have about ten minutes of work to get through. After that, how about we go out for a bite to eat? I'm pretty sure my fridge is…well…empty." (Harriet was going to be staying at Mac's apartment.)

Harriet laughed. "Sure. Sounds great."

------------

0104 ZULU

MALY'S CAFÉ

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

Mac and Harriet ordered cheeseburgers and salads, and then began catching up on each other's lives.

"Congratulations on your promotion, ma'am," Harriet said.

"Thank you…But drop the ma'am, would ya?"

They laughed.

"So, where's Bud?"

Harriet had been avoiding the subject, but now she replied,

"He's in London. He's…helping Harm with something."

Mac's eyes got slightly misty as she leaned back in her chair. _Harm_. "How's he doing?"

"Harm?" Harriet waited for Mac to nod before continuing. "He's fine, as far as I can tell. He's enjoying his new billet, but he misses DC and JAG." _And you_, she added to herself.

Mac swallowed over the lump in her throat. "Have you seen him since he left?"

Her friend shook her head. "No, but I hear he's planning a trip to the states to see Mattie."

"If you see him…" Mac's voice trailed off as she realized she didn't know what she wanted to say.

Luckily, their salads arrived then, and they dropped the subject.

------------

2027 ZULU

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26TH, 2006

JOINT LEGAL SERVICE CENTER SOUTHWEST

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

Mac, Harriet, and Jennifer Coates gathered in the courtyard of the building for lunch. They talked about old times, and plans for the future. Harriet and Jen carefully avoided the subject of Harm…Until Harriet's cell phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered it cheerily."Bud! Hi, honey! How's the case?…Good. When will you be home?…Great, we'll be home the same weekend, then…How's Harm?…That's great! Tell him hello for me, and that I can't wait to see him…Okay. Love you, too…Bye." Harriet put her phone away and smiled. "Bud sends his love."

"How's everything in London?" Mac asked.

"Pretty good," Harriet replied. "The case is moving along, and they should be done at the end of next week."

"How's Harm?"

Both Jen and Harriet were surprised to hear Mac ask the question, but they recovered quickly.

"He's fine," Harriet said. "He says hi, by the way."

"Is he visiting soon?" Jen questioned.

Harriet nodded. "He's coming to spend Christmas with Mattie. He finalized everything this morning, actually."

"If you see him," Mac said quietly, "tell him I wish him well."

Everyone was quiet as they stared down at their lunches. Somehow, Jen and Harriet knew Mac wanted to say more.

"I still miss him," she went on, almost to herself. "More than ever…I think, deep down, I still love him…I don't know why I ever let him go." She brushed away a tear. "Tell him…Tell him if it takes forever, I'll still be here."


End file.
